Tehelka case: Manohar Parrikar rejects Tarun Tejpal's charges

Panaji: Rejecting allegations of showing undue interest in and interfering with the probe, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said the state government has a duty to do justice to the girl in the case of alleged sexual assault by Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal.

He denied there was any pressure from any quarters on the Goa Police investigating the case of the alleged assault by Tejpal on a woman journalist of his office in an elevator in a Goa hotel during a Thinkfest organized by his magazine Tehelka earlier this month.

"The state government does not intend to monitor (the case) except asking the police department for a speedy disposal of the case. I have told the police not to take any pressure from any quarters," he said.

Replying to questions about Tejpal's charge in his bail petition before the Delhi High Court that the BJP government was targeting him, Parrikar said he (Tejpal) did not realise that when he held the function nor when he "confessed" or when he went on "sanyas". "So suddenly he has realized it is the BJP government," he said.

The Chief Minister said the investigating officer takes the final decision as to who should be called or not for questioning.

"I don't have the time, patience or inclination to monitor the investigation of the case. It is for the investigating officer to conduct a fare probe. When the girl has come out openly and is cooperating with the police, it is the duty of our state government to give her justice," Parrikar said ruling out any vendetta.

He said that the girl has arrived in Goa after police requested her and is giving statement before the police.

Asked about BJP leader Sushma Swaraj's tweet this morning that a Union Cabinet Minister is "shielding" Tejpal, the Chief Minister said that she was free to comment but her views will not influence the state government.

"It is the duty of the state government to ensure justice. Justice will be through legal procedures and not otherwise. So far Goa police has not got any pressure. When a major crime is involved or committed and prima facie it is there can I not say it," he said.

He also said that in a bail petition an accused always makes lot of allegations. "I feel psychologically his guilt conscience made him take self sanyas for six months. It is a testimony to his guilt conscience. Probably he thought the issue will cool down after this."

Parrikar said that Tejpal's email (accepting guilt) was not written by BJP nor was his resignation or the apology and the SMSs he had sent.

He said Tejpal's sudden suspicion toward Goa Police must have emerged out of the advice given by his advisers or he must have realized that he was getting sucked into deep trouble.

Tejpal went for anticipatory bail even before Goa Police summoned him.